Dillon Gee’s second start of the season could be summed up in one word: inconsistent.
He took a no-decision on Thursday, allowing four runs on five hits with two walks and seven strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings.
Gee’s final line might have looked better if not for one mistake he made to Giancarlo Stanton in the first inning.
With a runner on second and one out, Stanton worked the count to 3-0 against Gee. On the next pitch, Gee grooved one, and Stanton crushed it the other way to give the Marlins a 2-0 lead.
“I was stupid. I just made a dumb pitch. A 90-mph fastball on the outer half to that guy is not going to get him out that many times, so it was just a bad pitch and not being smart about the game situation,” Gee said after the game.”
Gee attributed the mistake to poor execution of that fastball, but also suggested it might’ve been better to simply walk Stanton and take his chances with Martin Prado instead.
“The thing is these are all big league hitters. It’s not to say you’re going to get the next guy out, so when I have a chance, I think it’s just my stubbornness: I attack too much sometimes and it definitely got me there.”
After the first inning, Gee actually looked really good until the sixth inning. He allowed a fourth inning homer to Prado, but was effectively using his curve ball and change-up throughout the night. Five of the nine change-ups Gee threw for strikes were missed, and he did a good job throwing strikes and changing the eye level with his curve once he discovered the feel for it.
But, then came the sixth inning, which is a notoriously bad inning for Gee. In his career, Gee has a 6.37 ERA in the sixth inning. Terry Collins decided to give Gee a shot at the sixth, and it looked like his faith would be rewarded when Gee had two outs and nobody on after Dee Gordon was caught stealing, and Christian Yelich grounded out. But then Gee walked Stanton, Prado singled off of him, then Gee walked Michael Morse.
And that ended Gee’s night.
Rafael Montero came in and proceeded to walk the fourth Miami run home before retiring JT Realmunto.
Gee’s career ERA in the sixth inning is now 6.43, perhaps unfairly in this case.
Once Gee allowed the single to Prado, that probably should’ve been it for him, given how things seem to spiral so quickly for him at that point in the ballgame. I don’t have a problem with Terry Collins testing Gee, but unfortunately, as the ERA would suggest, Gee rarely passes tests in the sixth inning.
All-in-all, Gee is off to a rocky start, but he showed progress on Thursday because he used all of his pitches seemingly in every sequence. As he pointed out, perhaps his pitch selection – along with his execution – needs some improvement.
Basically, Gee can be counted on for five solid innings when he’s going right. This is who he is, and that’s fine. I’d like to see him find a way to manage the sixth inning more, as it will help shorten the game for the bullpen, extend his outings and give him a better chance to win more games.
Just Mets 